GPU welcomes lifting of education levy on print media

The Gambia Press Union has learnt with
delight the move by the Government of The Gambia to lift national education
levy on the print media.

On Monday November 26, 2018, the Minister
for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Mambury Njie, told the National Assembly
that all print media houses in the country are now exempt from the payment of
the National Education and Technical Levy effective 2019.

The GPU welcomes this announcement as a
major boost towards the promotion of an enabling environment for vibrant media
industry. The Union applauds the Newspaper Publishers Association for their
constructive engagement with the government on the issue.

The media in The Gambia is constrained by
undue tax burden. Media houses are required to pay a number of tax levies,
including education tax, newspaper sales tax, advertising sales tax and
income/value added tax. Heavy import duty is placed on printing materials.

The Union has consistently pointed out that
the tax regime on media was imposed out of censorial motive. It was
particularly used by the former government to restrain the growth of the press
and suppress dissent.

The GPU President, Mr. Sheriff Bojang Jr.
said: “By imposing heavy tax and other financial burdens, the government
ensured that the newspapers have limited capacity to expand production, hire
more competent staff and award improved remuneration.”

He added: “We welcome exemption as an
important first step toward removing the economic stranglehold of the media. Of
course, we could do better by doing a more comprehensive review of the tax
regime as it applies to media.”

The Gambia Press Union has constantly been
advocating for the review of the country’s tax regime as it applies to media.
On May 3, 2017 - barely three months after the inauguration of the new
government - the Union submitted to the government a Position Paper on Freedom
of Expression, which among others called for review of the tax regime.